Participants should be fluent in both written and spoken English. Applicants from countries where English is not the language of instruction need to have obtained a score of at least 550 on the TOEFL test (or a score of at least 213 on a computer TOEFL test) or provide proof of an equivalent test or provide proof that part of their education was in English.

Academic requirements

being a BA student in Biological Sciences, average grade 2.4 or better (German grading system)

Max available positions

1

Information

For treatment of degenerative diseases by replacement therapies specific tissues need to be generated. Such tissues can be derived from direct cell type conversion in vivo bypassing the induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell state. The Direct Reprogramming (DR) strategy utilizes transcription factors (e.g. MyoD) that can induce specific cell fates such as muscles. However, the DR approach can convert only a few other cell types successfully, while most cell types are refractory to induced DR. We are elucidating mechanisms that inhibit DR using C. elegans as a model organism. To identify DR-regulating mechanisms this project will make use of whole genome RNAi screens. Each of the 20.000 genes of C. elegans will be depleted one-by-one and assessed for facilitating DR. Our lab is one of the few world-wide having the BioSorter system for automated high-throughput genetic screens with living animals. Additionally, 4D-time-lapse microscopy will be used to visualize DR events in vivo.